Students in SCF’s College Reach-Out Program Recognized

(Bradenton, Fla., May 10, 2016) — State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF)
honored graduating seniors from area high schools and other students in the College
Reach-Out Program (CROP) at the 18th annual CROP Awards ceremony at SCF’s Neel Performing Arts Center.

SCF President Dr. Carol F. Probstfeld welcomed students and their families, and CROP
alumni and SCF students Armando Cruz Vazquez and Sofia Paschero were the featured
speakers for the May 2 event.

Paschero, a CROP alumna, will be graduating in December with an Associate in Arts
degree from SCF and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in education at the University
of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee.

Cruz Vazquez attended the Black, Brown & College Bound 10th Annual Summit in Tampa with SCF student Zabdi Saint-Cyr. Cruz Vazquez, also a CROP
and SCF Summer Bridge Program alumnus, plans to graduate from SCF with the goal of
becoming a pharmacist.

“The amount of knowledge I’ve gained at SCF since high school is an abundance. Participating
in the Black, Brown & College Bound Summit allowed me to network with other people
in my field and pointed me in the right direction for my career,” Cruz Vazquez said.

Yvette Benton, CROP activities coordinator for SCF and assistant principal of Miller
Elementary, introduced the site coordinators, who gave school presentations and announced
Students of the Year.

CROP Students of the Year, listed by school, are:

Bayshore High School

Brandon Amspaugh

Booker High School

Sherrod Lee

Booker Middle School

Jaela Dennis

Lee Middle School

Ku’tur Williams

Manatee High School

Eddy Pelegrin

Palmetto High School

Domingo Jaimes-Diaz

Riverview High School

Winshelle Pierre

Southeast High School

Jessica Montiel

Other Participants

Marcus Mitchell

CROP site coordinators from participating schools included Raven Cokley from Booker
Middle School; Lem Andrews from Booker High School; Sandra Alanis from Manatee High
School; Kelli Douglas from Palmetto High School; Tommie Wheeler from Riverview High
School; Laura Roberts from Bayshore High School; Keenan Wooten from Lee Middle School,
and David Soles from Southeast High School.

Jessica Torsell, CROP retention specialist, Paschero and Elizabeth Bazan, CROP and
SCF alumna, presented a video highlighting the program activities throughout the year.

Kristen Anderson, special programs director for SCF, announced special recognitions
and Summer Bridge Program awards, and Dr. Mike Mears, vice president of strategic
initiatives at SCF, gave closing remarks.

CROP, a statewide program funded through a grant from the Florida Department of Education,
is designed to increase the number of students who successfully complete postsecondary
education.

Out of 52 seniors in this year’s program, 50 plan to continue their education after
graduating from high school, two plan to join the military. Twenty-six will start
college in June through SCF’s Summer Bridge Program, which students earned $900 program
scholarships to attend. CROP graduates who attend SCF also are eligible to receive
tuition and book scholarships.

From left Jessica Montiel, Jaela Dennis and Winshelle Pierre were named CROP Students
of the Year for their schools.